Rotary box-blanking machine



L. H. SCHROEDER ET AL ROTARY BOX BL'ANKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 By gne/r Z A TTOl-PNEYS A 0 3 9 A, 1 L A T E R E D E O R H C S H L ROTARY BOX BLANKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1923 IVVENTOR li a gner A ITO/ME rs zanschmedar mk R W/TA/ESSES May 6 1924.

INVENTOR Louisji. kS'ch-ro de Filed Jan. 4, 1923 L. H. SCHROEDER ET AL.

ROTARY BOX BLANKING MACHINE WITNESSES Patented May 6, 1924.

U ITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS H. SCHROEDER AND JOSHUA WAGNER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS' '10 PROGRESSIVE CORRUGATED PAPER MACHINERY CO., INC., OF BROOKLYN, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ROTARY BOX-BLANKINQ- MACHINE.

Application filed January 4, 1923. Serial No. 610,604.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOUIS H. S'onnonnnn and JOSHUA WAGNER, both citizens of the United States, and residents of thecity of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Box-Blanking Machine, of which-the following is a full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to box blanking machines and particularly to an improved rotary machine designed to automatically cut slots, crease and trim a blank ready for folding into a box. The object of the invention is to provide a box blanking machine of the rotary type wherein blanks may be fed in successively and slots cut on opposite edges and creased between the cut slots as they pass through the machine.

Another object of the invention, more specifically, is to provide a blanking machine in which a floating ring or creasing die is provided which acts in the capacity of normally holding the blank in proper place, creasing the blank at the proper place and assisting in cuttingthe slot at the proper place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rota box blanking machine which is simple 1n construction and which may be quickly and easily adjusted to accurately cut and crease blanks of various lengths and sizes. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rotary blanking machine in which a floating ring co-acts with the male cutters of the machine in cutting the blank fed through the machine and in ejecting the severed or cut material.

In the accompanying'drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of a machine disclosing an embodiment of the invention.

Fi re 2 is a perspective view, 'on a great y enlarged scale, of a blank after the same has passed through the machine shown in Fi re 1, certain parts being broken away for i ustrating'the creased formation.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through Figure 2 approximately on line 2- Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine shown .in Figurel 1, the same being on a greatly enlarged sca e.

aessuw Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 1, the same being on a greatly enlarged scale, said figure also being taken partly on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the floating ring and associated parts, when floating ring is in normal position and no blank is passing through the machine.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional' view through Figure 3 approximately on line 6-6, showing the position of the floating ring while the knife segment is cutting a slot in the blank.

Fi ure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showmg the fioatingring and other parts in a different position, that is after the first slot has been cut and the floating ring is forming the crease, at the same time ejecting the waste from the out slot.

Figure 8 is a detail fragmentary plan view illustrating a scale used in connection with the slotting or cutting knife.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 11 indicates a frame of an desired kind which includes suitable stan ards 12 and any desired number of cross pieces, brackets and the like for supporting different shafts and other parts of the machine. On the frame 11 is arranged a plat- 5 form 13 over which a number of chains 14 are adaptedto pass, said chains being supported by suitable sprocket wheels 15 and 16, said sprocket wheels in turn being carried by suitable shafts mounted on the frame. A number of feeding bars 17 are connected to these chains so as to feed the various blanks'18 to the creasing and slotting rollers at the proper time. Power is' applied by a belt 19 or other suitable means to the pulley 20 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 21 and from said shaft power is taken off by different means to the respective 'driven members. For instance, a sprocket wheel 22 is secured to the shaft 23 1 carrying sprocket wheel 16, said sprocket wheel 22 accommodating the driving chain 24, which chain passes over a suitable sprocket wheel 25 secured in any desired manner to the shaft 21. The gear wheel 27 also meshes continually with the large gear wheel 29, which large gear isbolted to the the shaft 30. By having all the parts con-' nected to the single driving shaft 21, they will operate in unison and be properly timed to function in the proper sequence.

From Figure 3 it will be noted that the blanks 18 are held on the platform 13 by a suitable stop 31, which has the bottom edge thereof spaced a short distance above the platform to permit the lowermost blank 18 to be forced off of the platform by one of the feed bars 17 so as to beslotted and creased as hereinafter fully'described. As the blank is forced beneath the stop 31, it isengaged by the respective wheels 32 and 33 and pulled along and at the same time out and creased by suitable knives and creasing dies. The wheel 32 is shown in section in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 and from this section it will be noted that the wheel is provided with a central flange or web 34 having an annular enlargement 35 for accommodating a dove-tail slot 36, which slot has an opening at some point whereby the heads 37 of the respective bolts 38 maybe inserted and the bolts moved around to the desired point. It will be noted that the flange 34 merges into a peripheral smooth surface 39, which surface is slightly reduced in diameter near one edge and on this reduced surface 40 is arranged a scale 41 coacting with the adjustable blade 42 whereby the blade may be accurately set to cut any length slot or to accommodate any size blank. Co-acting with the adjustable blade 42 is a stationary blade 43 which is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the web 34' of wheel 32, said blade having its periphery preferably hollowed out or grooved as indicated at the bottom of Figure 4. The adjustable blade 42 is also grooved or hollowed out on the periphery as shown at the top of Figure 4 and also shown in Figure 6. The

blade 42 is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to an adjustable ring '44 which has a ripheral surface 45 co-acting with the surace 39 for presenting a face adapted to engage the blank and hold the same in place as well as urge the same forward during the slotting and creasing operation. The-adjustable ring 44 is an annular ring and is clamped in any desired position by the respective'bolts 38, said ring of course, being setmanually and the operator during the setting operation being guided by the gradu ations 41 with are properly calibrated in mches or in any other manner as preferred.

Also, the knife '42 is preferably provided with oneor more indicating lines 46 to coact with the graduations 41. It will be noted particularly from Fi re 7 that the web 34 of wheel 32 is provi ed with an annular offset or recess 47 in which the res ective cutting or slotting blades 42 an 43 are positioned.

Co-acting with the wheel 32 is a lower the periphery of wheel 33 in which is posi-- tioned annular shearing rings 54 and 55, said shearing rings being spaced apart by the -floating ring or creasing die 56. There is a fairly snug fit between the ring 56 and the respective rings 54 and 55 though the ring 56 is permitted a free movement. Ordinarily the floating ring 56 is supported substantially in the position shown in Figures 5 and 7. Preferably, the support consists of a pair of grooved wheels 57 and 58 arranged so that the floating ring 56 will fit therein, said wheels being rotatably sup ported onlevers 59 and 60, said levers being pivotally mounted at 61 and 62 on the frame 11 or on a bracket connected therewith as may be desired. The free ends of the levers 59 and 60 are pivotally connected with the rods 63 and 64 which extend downwardly through the plate 65 supported inany desired manner on the framell whereby the springs 66 and 67 may act on the ends of the rods 63 and 64 and on the plate65 for resiliently supporting the wheels 57 and 58 and the floating ring 56. This resilient su port causes the floating ring or creasing die 56 to normally remain in the position shown in Figures 5 and 7 though it may be forced therefrom by the slotting blades 42 and 43 as shown in Figure 6 without interfering with the rotation of the ringor wheel 33.

In operation, after the parts have been properly set, a supply of blanks 18 is provided as shown in Figure 3 and at the proper time one of the feed bars 17 will strike the end of the lowermost. blank and force the same into substantially the osition shown in Figure 3. As soon as the lank comes in contact with the cutting knife 43, it is en-- gaged by the roughened surface or teeth 68' are in action, they not only shear the blank 18 but depress the floating ring or creasing die 56. The action of the creasing die as it is pressed upwardly by the springs 66 and 67, causes a straight cutting or shearing action 50 that the walls of the slots 69 will.

be straight and not bent or turned over. After the respective knives 43 have performed their functions, they will move away from the ring 56 and said ring, by reason of the pressure of the springs 66 and 67, will crease the blank 18 as indicated in Figs. 2 and 7 so that the crease 70 will extend from the slots 69 to the slots 71, which latter slots are formed by the knife 42.. It will be noted that by varying the compression of the springs 66 and 67 by means of a nut, it will regulate the depth and prominence of the crease 70. It will be seen from Figure 2 that the full depth of the crease will not exist adjacent to the slots, but starting about one-half inch way from the slots, the depth or prominence of the crease starts to diminish or taper from its full depth to nothing at the slots. lhis has the effect of greatly increasing the strength of the blank adjacent to the beginning of the slots. It will be understood that one, two, three or more of the sets of wheels 32 and 33 may be used as desired according to the number of slots 69 and 71 desired. Ordinarily, there are only three slots desired and by constructing the parts as described the slots on opposite edges of the blank are in direct alignment and also are in alignment with the various grooves or creases 70.

It will be noted that the floating ring 56 moves upwardly to its normal position as soon as the respective knives pass and, consequently, this floating ring, being of larger diameter than the wheel 33, will act as an ejector for ejecting the waste material cut from the blank 18. The blank as it moves between the wheels '32 and 33 will pass onto the platform 72 and will be eventually discharged therefrom. In case it should be desired to adjust the parts to cut a difl'erent length slot in the blank to that shown, the clamping screw 73 is loosened and the hand wheel 74 rotated, said hand wheel being rigidly secured to the shaft 30. The wheel 32 is also keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 30. The rotation of the hand wheel 7 4 manually, rotates the shaft 30 independent of the driving mechanism and, consequently, the fixed blade 42 may be adjusted to the desired point. After this has been done, the clamping screw 7 3 is tightened and then the-adjustable blade 43 is adjusted and clamped in its new position so as to give the correct distance between the slots 69 and 71. The cutting blades and all the other parts of the respective wheels 32 and 33 are then in position for receiving the new blanks. It will be noted from Figure 4 that the wheel 32 is not only splined to the shaft 30 but is held in place by set screws so that it may be adjusted longitudinally of shaft 30 for spacing the slots 69 as desired. The wheel 33 is constructed in a similar manner as indicated in Figure 5 so that it may be corre spondingly adjusted. It will be noted that the plate or holding structure containing the supporting mechanism for the floating ring, also moves or shifts along with the wheel 32, so that the floating ring is always in the same plane with the slotting knife segments 42 and 43. This will automatically insure that the creases are in perfect align ment with the slots 69 and 71.

As shown in Figure 4, a set of trimming knives 76 and 76 are provided and adjustably mounted on the shaft 30 so as to trim the blank as it passes through the machine and thereby produce a nice accurate edge to the finished article. It will be noted that these knives may be adjusted to suit any size blank and to trim the blank to any desired extent.

What we claim is 1. In a rotary box blanking machine of the character described, a holding structure stationary knife, and a knife rigidly secured to said'ring, said knife being adjustable with the ring toward and from the last mentioned knife, and means co-acting with said knives for causing the knives to produce a clean cut and causing a creasing ac tion between said knives.

I 65 and a creasing structure, said creasing struc-- 3. In a rotary box blanking machine, a

creasing structure comprising a wheel having an annular groove in the periphery thereof, a floating ring arranged in said groove, and means for yieldingly holding said ring in an elevated position.

4. In a rotary box blanking machine of the character described, a creasing structure comprising a wheel having an annular groove therein, a ring mounted in said groove, and resilient means acting on the ring for. normally holding the same in an elevated position.

5. In a rotary box blanking machine of the character described, a creasing structure comprising a wheel having an annular groove in the periphery, a pair of spaced slotting rings arranged in-said groove and acting as part of a cutting structure, and a resiliently supported floating ring arranged between said first mentioned rings.

6. Ina rotary box blanking machine of the character described, a plurality of slotting structures, each of said slotting structures being provided with a stationary knife, an adjustable ring associated with the stationary knife, and a knife rigidly secured to said ring, said knife being adjustable with the ring toward and from the last mentioned knife, means for co-acting with the knives for causing the knives to produce a clean cut and causing a creasing action between said knives, said' means including a floating ring, and springs for causing said ring to function, the action of said rings being such as to cause the crease to decrease in depth toward the slots.

7. In a rotary box blanking machine, a supporting table, means for feeding blanks from sai table, a plurality of slottin knives for slotting opposite sides of sai blanks, and creasin means for creasing said blanks between t e slots, said creasing means includinga floating ring, and springs for pressin the floating ring against the blanks, sai ring co-acting with the knives to produce a crease graduaily increasing in depth from the slots whereby the blanks will be strengthened adjacent the ends of the slots.

8. In a rotary box blanking machine of the character described, means for slotting a blank on opposite edges, and means for 9. In a rotary cutter wheel provided with a plurality of projecting knlves and a'creasing structure comprising a wheel having a peripheral groove therein, a' pair of slotting rings mounted in said groove, said rin s being spaced apart and ositioned s0 t 1: said knives may pass l derebetween during the cutting operation, a floating ring arranged between said first mentioned rings, rollers acting on said last mentioned rings for supporting the same, and springs acting on box blanking machine, a

said rollers for resiliently supporting the rollers.

10. In a rotary box blanking machine of the character described, a creasing structure, said creasing structure including a wheel having a peripheral groove, 9. ring arranged in said groove, said ring having a bore of eater diameter than the groove whereby it floats freely in the groove, a pair of wheels acting on said ring for normall supporting the same in an elevated posltion, a lever for each of said wheels, and a spring acting on each of the levers for normally holding the same in a given osition.

LOUIS H. SCHROE ER. JOSHUA WAGNER. 

